The present invention relates in general to a device and method for optimally growing plants and vegetables and more particularly, to a device in the form of a tapered helical coil with a unique clamp and anchor peg system which mounts over a stake and allows plants and vegetables to grow upright without tying. The device of the present art is fully adjustable to accommodate plants having heights up to or above seven feet.
It is well known within the gardening and farming arts that many plants require support during the growth, flowering, and vegetable producing periods. That is, as many plants grow, they are unable to provide self support. This phenomena is especially true with vegetable producing plants such as tomatoes, peas, and cucumbers. Traditionally, gardeners and farmers utilize a stake driven into the ground and periodically tie the plants to said stake as the plant grows. This prior art technique is very time consuming and often does not promote optimum plant growth.
Numerous plant support cages have been shown and described in the prior art with a plurality of deficiencies relative to the present art. That is, the prior art devices utilize cages, racks, or trellises which have limited adjustability for short or tall plants. The present art device provides support for plants of very short height and for plants which are greater than seven feet in height. The prior art devices also limit the strength of support for the growing plant. That is, prior art devices are generally stand alone in structure, thus unless constructed with heavy non-user friendly materials, the prior art designs cannot reliably hold growing plants without failure. The present art utilizes a central stake commonly used by growers which is secured within the earth near the growing plant to securely hold the helical spiral of the present art.
The prior art devices also do not provide a convenient and easy to use universal adjustment method to accommodate different plant sizes. Prior art devices are generally of fixed dimensions or have complex or non-convenient adjusting mechanisms. The present art provides easy one handed adjustment of the helical coil via a thumbscrew on the clamp mounted upon the central stake. Prior art devices also present a problem for off-season storage. Since the prior art devices are generally not foldable into a flat form or have other hardware portions which are non collapsible, storage generally occupies much more space than is desirable. The present art helical coil is formed from a flexible material which allows it to collapse into a flat helicoid spiral which may be stacked or placed on a wall hook. Prior art devices are often aesthetically unpleasing and further detract from the beauty of the growing plant. The preferred present art device with its unique shape and integrally molded green color allows for the plant to grow into and through it whereby the cage is difficult to distinguish from the growing plant itself.
In its preferred embodiment, the present art comprises a uniquely lightweight and flexible coil having an anchor peg at a first exterior end with a universal clamp at another second interior end along with the traditional stake utilized for plant support. The anchor peg on said exterior end is preferably integrally mounted with said flexible coil with a “living” or flexible hinge between the coil and the stake. The universal clamp on said interior end preferably comprises a housing having a threaded hole and a threaded retainer or thumbscrew within said hole. Said housing fits over said stake and is compressively held thereon by tightening the threaded retainer or thumbscrew. Preferably the device is manufactured from a molded flexible polymer such as polypropylene but may also be manufactured from a plurality of other materials which provide the flexibility desired. Alternative embodiments may utilize materials such as wood, metals and alloys thereof, plastics, leather, rubber, and composites.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vegetable and plant growing cage which is capable of supporting growing plants without tying.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of supporting growing plants without tying.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a vegetable and plant growing cage which is able to easily and conveniently adjust to accommodate a plurality of plant heights.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a vegetable and plant growing cage which further allows for easy, convenient, and space minimizing flat storage during the non-growing season.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a lightweight vegetable and plant growing cage having sufficient structural strength to support any vegetable or flowering plant.